• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.1-15
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• 2011

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of massive clinical research and to make a basic analysis on the effectiveness and safety of moxibustion treatment on knee osteoarthritis compared to usual care. Methods and Results : This study is a protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial. Forty participants are assigned to the moxibustion group (n=20) and usual care group (n=20). Participants assigned to the moxibustion group receive moxibustion treatment on the affected knee(s) at six standard acupuncture points (ST36, ST35, ST34, SP9, Ex-LE04 and SP10) three times per week for four weeks (total of 12 sessions). Participants in the usual care group don't receive moxibustion treatment during the study period and follow-up are made on the 5th, 9th and 13th weeks after random allocation. Both groups are allowed to use any kind of treatment, including surgery, conventional medication, physical treatment, acupuncture, herbal medicine, over-the-counter drugs and other active treatments. Education material that explains knee osteoarthritis and current management options and self-exercise is provided for each group. The pain scale of the Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Questionnaire (K-WOMAC) is the primary outcome measurement used in this study. Other subscales of the K-WOMAC, the Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Physical Function test, Patient Global Assessment, and Pain Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) are used as outcome variables to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture. Safety is assessed at every visit. Conclusions : The result of this trial will provide a basis for the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture treatment for knee osteoarthritis.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.205-213
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• 2008

The purpose of this case is to report the improvement after treatment on the patient who has development disabilities with Goldenhar's syndrome. We treated the patient with acupuncture treatment from 10th November 2006 to 22nd May 2008. We checked the patient with Goldberg's Developmental Milestone. After treatment developmental levels of cognition, motion, language and sociability were improved. This case shows oriental medical treatment has useful effect on development disabilities.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.191-195
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• 2008

Objectives : To estimate clinical effect of acupuncture treatment for astigmatism and visual impairment. Methods : Acupuncture treatment was performed on a young child, diagnosed as astigmatism and visual impairment from 23th May 2008 through 23th July 2008. Visual acuity and astigmatism were measured before and after treatment. Results : Visual acuity and astigmatism were improved after acupuncture treatment. Conclusions : This case demonstrates that acupuncture treatment has clinical possibilities for improving astigmatism and visual impairment and future studies will be required.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.113-122
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• 2004

Objective : This study is designed in order to evaluate the therapeutic effect of venesection on acute low back pain. Methods : From Nov. 1st 2003 to Apr. 30th 2004, 40 cases of low back pain patients at acute stage were divided into 2 groups; one group(control group) took only acupuncture therapy, and the other group(test group) took acupuncture and venesection therapy. Pain rating score(PRS) was used to assess the pain for its intensity, frequency, duration, and aggravating factors. And visual analog scale(VAS) was used, too. PRS and VAS was checked twice, before the treatment and after the treatment. Treatment was done twice a day. Results : Both acupuncture therapy and acupuncture with venesection therapy showed good effect on low back pain of acute stage. And the latter group showed better effect on decreasing pain than former. It was proved by the difference between PRS and VAS checked before treatment and what checked after treatment. But it was not proved statistically. Conclusion : Only acupuncture and acupuncture with venesection can be recommended as a useful therapy to treat low back pain of acute stage.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.9-18
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• 2011

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of Chuna Treatment and Ouhyul herbal acupuncture on the patients with cervical pain caused by traffic accidents. Methods : This study was carried out on the 60 out-patients with cervical pain caused by whiplash injury. These patients were divided into two groups, group A and group B, of 30 patients each. Group A was treated with acupuncture and Chuna treatment and group B was treated with acupuncture and Ouhyul herbal acupuncture. All the patients from both groups were treated four times, twice a week for two weeks. The results of treatment were evaluated by VAS and NDI score. Results : Statistically, both group A and B demonstrated significant improvement in VAS and NDI. But there were no significant differences in the VAS and NDI between two groups. Conclusion : According to the results of this study, it was suggested that Chuna treatment and Ouhyul herbal acupuncture are effective in reducing cervical pain caused by traffic accidents. However, there were no significant differences in the VAS and NDI between two groups.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.59-65
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• 2009

Objectives : This survey was done in order to find out how Korean medical doctors derive pattern identification for acupuncture prescriptions in treating knee pain in real clinical practice. Methods : The survey questionnaire was developed by the committee of experts who major in acupuncture & moxibustion or statistics for acupuncture clinical trial protocol development. The questionnaires were distributed via e-mail to 75 members of Korean Acupuncture & moxibustion society from March 26th to April 14th in 2009. 57 members completed answers, and the computerized data were analyzed by SPSS 17.0 statistical program. Results : 1.54 Korean medical doctors selected meridian pattern identification based on the course of the meridians(52.5%), visceral pattern identification(27.1%), pattern identification based on cause of disease(8.5%) as the most commonly used pattern identification methods for acupuncture prescription when treating knee pain patients in real clinical practice. 2. In meridian pattern identification based on the course of the meridians, liver meridian of the medial knee region(13.2%), bladder meridian of the posterior knee region(12.0%), spleen meridian of the lateral knee region(11.7%), stomach meridian of the anterior knee region(9.8%) and kidney meridian of the medial knee region(8.6%) were selected. 3. In visceral pattern identification, blood stasis of sinews due to liver and kidney deficiency(5.3%), damp joint with yang deficiency of liver and kidney(4.9%), kidney qi deficiency with congealing cold(4.5%), yin deficiency of liver and kidney(4.1%) were selected. Conclusions : In our e-mail survey, Korean medical doctors answered that Meridian Pattern Identification based on the course of the meridians is the most often used diagnosis method. Visceral pattern identification, pattern identification based on cause of disease, pattern identification based on symptom and pattern identification based on qi-blood-yin-yang theory in order of frequency used, were selected for knee pain diagnosis in real clinical practice.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.147-158
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• 2009

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to review the recent research trends of evidence based medicine, especially human randomized controlled trials on acupuncture. Methods : The articles were collected by retrieving the database of Pubmed and Journal of Korean Acupuncture & Moxibustion Society. The retrieving period was from October 2003 to September 2008, and the search term was 'acupuncture'. The articles were classified according to their publication journals, countries, publication years, targeted diseases, types of acupuncture and types of control. Results : In total, 558 articles in Pubmed and 35 articles in Journal of Korean Acupuncture & Moxibustion Society were searched. The number of articles on acupuncture research has increased with higher rate since 2000, but the Qualitative development has not achieved the same amplitude. Studies in Korea were insufficient both in Qualitative and Quantitative aspects. In countries, China had the most papers, and in targeted diseases, pain diseases were most dominant. In the types of acupuncture, classical acupuncture, and in the types of control, conventional western treatment showed the highest frequency. Conclusions: We need to do many-sided and more high Quality researches on acupuncture. For that, well-designed randornized trials are absolutely necessary.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.230-236
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• 2003

Objective : Hemichorea-Hemiballism is a violent, involuntary movement restricted to one side of the body. It is usually associated with stroke, and infrequently associated with infections, drug usage, metabolic derangement, and hyperglycemia. In this study, we performed to evlauate the effects of Saamchimbeop Ganjeonggyeok on the the 1 case of Hemichorea-Hemiballism with diabetes mellitus. Methods : We performed Saamchimbeop Ganjeongyeok which consists of KI10(陰谷), LR8(曲泉), LU8(經渠), LR4(中封). The effect of Saamchimbeop was assessed by comparing the counts of the movements of ankle and metatarsal joint for 1 minutes before and after acupuncture therapy. Results : The hemiballismic movements was reduced after acupuncture therapy. Conclusions : The Saamchimbeop was effective on the patient of Hemichorea-Hemiballism with diabetes mellitus. And Further studies with more population are necessary.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.49-60
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• 2002

Objective : The aim of this experiment is to investigate the effect of acupuncture and moxibustion at SP6(Sanyinjiao) and BL28(Pangguanshu) on uranyl acetate-induced acute renal failure in rats. Methods : To induce experimental acute renal failure, uranyl acetate was intraperitoneally injected to rats by 5mg/kg. 3 days later acupuncture and moxibustion treatment was done at SP6(Sanyinjiao) and BL28(Pangguanshu) bilaterally of the rats. And then 4 days later, we measured rats' body weight, kidney weight, serum BUN, creatinine and serum eletrolyte levels(Na, K and Cl). Results : In the moxibustion group, hypertrophy index of kidney and serum BUN level were decreased marginally significantly, and serum creatinine, K levels were decreased significantly. But in the acupuncture group, there was no significance at this experiment. Conclusions : SP6(Sanyinjiao) and BL28(Pangguanshu) moxibustion can decrease serum BUN, creatinine, and serum eletrolyte levels on uranyl acetate-induced acute renal failure in rats. And the study will be done continuously about non-effect in the acupuncture group at this experiment.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.172-181
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• 2019

This case report relates to a 40-year old male patient diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis who was treated with acupotomy and traditional Korean medicine. He showed a significant improvement in joint range of motion (ROM) in cervical and lumbar vertebrae, and in pain and functional disorder symptoms. The patient received acupotomy, acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, herbal medicine and physical therapy (November 26, 2018 to December 17, 2018). Joint ROM for cervical and lumbar vertebrae was measured, and the pain level was assessed using a numerical rating scale. The functional disorder and quality of life scales were also assessed using the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index, Korean Health Assessment Questionnaire, and Modified Health Assessment Questionnaire. After applying acupotomy and traditional Korean medicine, the patient exhibited increased joint ROM and reduced pain, also in conjunction with improved responses in functional disorder and quality of life.